Swarm Slide Show #1
Swarms are the natural means of reproduction for honeybees. They used to be common, back in Grandpa's day, when the woods were full of wild bees, and beekeepers used to catch a lot of swarms to replenish their losses. Today wild swarms are rare; most swarms are from beekeepers who haven't taken very good care of their bees.
When the hives get congested in the spring, half the hive takes off to find a new home, starting a new hive. The other half remains to carry on.
I heard this swarm this afternoon as I was sorting equipment at the workshop. They came in from the woods, so they may be some generations removed from my bees, but they have been surviving in the wild, so they are of interest to me, as they may carry some trait that makes them resistant to varroa mites.
This was easy. No climbing to high limbs, no chasing for miles, only to find the swarm gone when we arrive; it was a real case of serendipity....
The Center of the Swarm 05-08-00
I stood in the middle of the swarm and took this picture looking skyward. What an exciting sight -- bees crazily zooming back and forth, following the odor of the queen, to see where she would land. Then the swarm would pitch. I also wanted to see where she would land...